Rising Storm

Brackenfur pushed himself up from the rock first. As understanding rippled through the rest of the Clan, the other cats stood up too. Their horror of the fire outweighed their instinctive fear of the raging skies. They shifted restlessly across the rock face, not sure which way to run, and to Fireheart’s relief he saw Sandstorm among them, her tail fluffed up and her ears flat back. The cats started to move farther apart, revealing Bluestar sitting motionless halfway up the rock, her face tilted to the stars. A brilliant fork of lightning split the sky, but Bluestar remained still. Was she praying to StarClan? Fireheart wondered in disbelief.

“This way!” he ordered. He signaled with his tail as another crash of thunder drowned out his voice.

The Clan began to stream down the rock toward the trail that led to the river. Fireheart could see the flames flickering between the trees now. A rabbit pelted past him, terrified. It didn’t even seem to notice the cats, weaving through them as it hurtled from the fire and the storm and slipped under the rock, instinctively seeking out the sanctuary of the ancient stone. But Fireheart knew that the flames would soon engulf this part of the forest, and he didn’t want to risk losing any more cats to such a terrible death.

“Hurry!” he called, and the cats broke into a run. Mousefur and Longtail were carrying Willowpelt’s kits once more, while Cloudpaw and Dustpelt dragged Patchpelt’s body between them, the limp black-and-white shape jerking awkwardly over the ground. Whitestorm and Brindleface flanked Bluestar, encouraging the ThunderClan leader onward with gentle nudges.

Fireheart was turning to look for Sandstorm when he saw Speckletail struggling with her kit grasped in her jaws. The kit was well grown and Speckletail was not as young as the other queens. Fireheart raced over and took the kit from her. Speckletail flashed him a grateful look and started running.

The fire was beside them now that they had turned toward the river. Fireheart kept one eye on the advancing wall of flames as he urged the Clan onward. Around them the trees began to sway as the storm winds swelled and began to stir the burning forest, fanning the flames toward them. The river was in sight, but they still had to cross it, and few of the ThunderClan cats had done much swimming. There was no time to go farther downstream to the stepping-stones.

As they hurtled across the RiverClan scentline, Fireheart felt the heat of the fire against his flank and a cruel roaring that was even louder than the Thunderpath. He raced forward to lead the way down to the riverbank and skidded to a halt where the forest floor gave way to the pebbly shore. The smooth stones glowed silver as lightning flashed once more, but the thunder that followed was hardly audible above the roaring of the fire. The Clan stumbled after Fireheart, their eyes filled with a new terror as they stared at the fast-flowing river. Fireheart felt his spirit quail at the thought of persuading his water-shy Clanmates to enter the river. But behind them the fire tore through the trees in relentless pursuit, and he knew there was no choice.

Chapter 25

Fireheart dropped Speckletail’s kit at Whitestorm’s paws and turned to face the Clan. “It’s shallow enough to wade most of the way,” he yowled. “Much shallower than usual. There’s a place in the middle where you’ll have to swim, but you’ll make it.” The cats looked at him with horrified eyes. “You have to trust me!” he urged.

Whitestorm met Fireheart’s gaze for a long heartbeat, then nodded calmly. He picked up Speckletail’s kit and waded into the river until he stood up to his belly in the dark water. Then he turned and flicked his tail for the others to follow.

Fireheart felt a familiar scent in his nostrils, and a soft ginger pelt brushed against his shoulder. He looked down into Sandstorm’s bright green gaze.

“You think it’s safe?” she murmured, pointing with her nose to the fast-flowing river.

“Yes, I promise,” Fireheart replied, wishing with all his heart that they were somewhere else, far from this flame-threatened shore. He blinked slowly at the steadfast warrior beside him, trying to comfort her with his gaze when really he wanted to bury his muzzle in her fur and hide until this nightmare was over.

Sandstorm nodded as if she could read his mind. Then she raced through the shallows and plunged into the deep central channel just as lightning lit up the rippling water. Fireheart’s chest tightened as the she-cat lost her footing on the pebbles and disappeared under the surface. He felt his heart stop beating and his ears roar like thunder as he waited for her to reappear.

Then Sandstorm bobbed up, coughing and thrashing with her paws, but swimming steadily toward the far shore. She struggled out on the other side, her coat dark with water and clinging to her body, and called to her Clanmates, “Just keep your paws moving and you’ll be okay!”